Wig brush

ABSTRACT

A wig brush having a plurality of metallic bristles anchored to a pliable cushioning material for providing flexible support for the bristles. The cushioning material is mounted to the brush by inserting same through an elongated aperture in the brush frame. A convex forming piece is snap fit into the elongated aperture to firmly secure the cushioning material against a peripherally extending lip surrounding the aperture to thereby snugly retain the cushioning material within the aperture. The forming piece is adapted to flex the cushioning material so that it will assume a curved contour extending outwardly from the aperture and will also provide an air space between the cushioning material and the convex surface of the forming piece.

United States Patent Wettburg [451 Mar. 28, 1972 54] WIG BRUSH 983,311 2/1951 France ..15/186 986,851 4/1951 France..... ....l5/l86 [721 lnvenw Beerfelden, odenwa'di 1,000,272 10/1951 France ..15/186 Germany v z B w b & C rf 1d Primary Examiner-Peter Feldman [73] Asslgnee 6:33 2 53i 0 Bee 6 en Attorney-Polachek, Saulsbury & Hough [22] Filed: May 13,1970 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 36,912 A wig brush having a plurality of metallic bristles anchored to a pliable cushioning material for providing flexible support for the bristles. The cushioning'material is mounted to the brush I Cl 132/85 by inserting same through an elongated aperture in the brush [51] Int. Cl. ..A46b 3/20 frame. A convex forming piece is snap fit into the elongated [581 Fleld 01 Search ..15/186, 187, 188, 159, 160; aperture to firmly secure the cushioning material against a 132/85, 120, 151-156 peripherally extending lip surrounding the aperture to thereby snugly retain the cushioning material within the aperture. The

[56] Rekrences cued forming piece is adapted to flex the cushioning material so that it will assume a curved contour extending outwardly from UNITED STATES PATENTS the aperture and will also provide an air space between the cushioning material and the convex surface of the forming l53,229 7/1874 Ashworth ..15/186 i 2,482,928 9/1949 Neff et al. ..15/186 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented March 28, 1972 3,651,532

J 9- INVENTOR.

J'OCHEN WETTBURG ATTDRNE 5 WIG BRUSH This invention relates generally to brushes, more particularly to hair or wig brushes suitable for the cleaning, grooming, teasing, styling, etc., of artificial and natural hair pieces, toupees, wigs, falls" and similar articles.

The brush of this invention provides means for flexibility anchoring a plurality of metallic bristles and further provides an air space for cushioning the bristles. The brush constructed in accordance with the invention is fabricated from a frame member having an elongated aperture. A pliable cushioning material having a plurality of metallic bristles anchored therein is secured within said aperture by means of a convex forming piece. An air space is also formed between the cushioning material and the forming piece.

The wig brushes presently in use and generally related to the brush of this invention are usually constructed with a brush frame member having an oval recessed portion into which a cushioning material containing a plurality of bristles is adhesively set. The cushioning material is generally of a slightly larger dimension than the recessed area and a portion of the cushioning material will consequently bulge or extend outwardly in a curved contour to provide an air cushion directly under the cushioning material and between the cushioning material and the recessed brush frame. Thistype of brush construction requires more time consuming production steps or operations and has consequently proven to be a less economical method of manufacture. Furthermore, the recessed area into which the cushioning material is adhesively set must be sufficient in size to facilitate the insertion of the cushioning material; consequently, the dimension of the prior art brushes was partly controlled and determined by the dimension of the said recessed area. In contrast, the wig brush of the present invention utilizes a different method of construction wherein a relatively narrow, elongated aperture is provided through the frame member and the cushioning material is inserted into and retained within the aperture by means of a convex forming piece. The wig brush, when constructed in accordance with this method can be of smaller overall dimensions and in fact narrow enough to be conveniently carried in a womans purse, small pocketbook or other carrying case.

The wig brush of the present invention encompasses a pliable cushioning material, preferably rubber or rubberlike fabric, for flexibly anchoring a plurality of metallic brush bristles. The cushioning material is retained within an elongated aperture in the brush frame by means of a convex forming piece. The forming piece in turn will flex the cushioning material so that it will assume a curved contour extending outwardly from the aperture and will thereby define an air space between same and the convex surface of the forming piece. The air space thus formed provides an air cushion for elastically seating the cushioning material within the aperture. The overall dimensions of the brush bristles can be controlled and will be determined by the size and shape of the aperture. It should therefore be apparent that the wig brush of this invention can be constructed to a conveniently small or narrow shape. The utilization of this aperture in conjunction with a convex forming piece for securely holding the cushioning material within the aperture thus facilitates manufacture and provides for more economical production of the wig brushes.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wig brush incorporating a pliable cushioning material of the general character described herein.

Specifically it is an object of the instant invention to provide a wig brush having a pliable cushioning material for anchoring a plurality of metallic brush bristles, and for providing flexible support for the bristles.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a wig brush having a convex forming piece for firmly securing the pliable cushioning material within an elongated aperture and for further defining an air space between the forming piece and the cushioning material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wig brush wherein the overall length dimension of the cushioning material is approximately four times the width dimension thus providing a brush having a relatively narrow shape and suitable for carrying within apurse.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown some of the various possible embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wig brush of this invention showing the handle portion and the plurality of metallic brush bristles extending from the cushioning material mounted in the elongated aperture.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view to a slightly enlarged scale, taken along line 2-2 of-FIG. 1 and shows the details of the manner in which the metallic bristles are anchored in the cushioning material and further illustrates the convex forming piece snap fit within the aperture and providing an air space between the cushioning material.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and shows the curved contour assumed by the cushioning material and the general configuration and shaping of the metallic bristles.

FIG. 4 illustrates the manner in which the wig brush of this invention is assembled wherein the cushioning material containing the metallic bristles is firmly secured within the peripheral lip surrounding the aperture and is held in this position by means of the snap fitting convex forming piece.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 denotes generally the wig brush of the present invention. The wig brush 10 is comprised of a frame member 12 having a handle portion 14 at one end thereof and defining an elongated aperture 16 at the opposite end thereof. The frame member 12 is preferably made from a synthetic plastic material; however, metal, hard rubber or wood fiber frames may be equally as effective. A plurality of brush bristles 18 are anchored within a pliable cushioning material 20. The cushioning material 20 is preferably made of rubber or rubberlike substance which may be easily flexed or stretched to a desired curved contour and yet will yieldingly secure the individual bristles mounted therein.

The elongated aperture 16 is surrounded by a peripheral lip portion 22 specifically designed to engage and retain the pliable cushioning material 20 within the aperture as will be further described in greater detail herein. The individual bristles 18 are preferably made of a metallic substance for increased durability. However, other suitable substances such as stiff anirnal hair, nylon, etc., may also be utilized. The bristles 18 are mounted within the cushioning material 20, and securely seated therein by protuberances or studs 24 projecting from the end of the bristles 18. The studs 24 prevent the bristles 18 from being pulled out" of the cushioning material 20 such as when an axially directed force is exerted on the bristles 18. A backing 26 preferably of cloth material, is adhesively bonded to the cushioning material 20 to secure the position and placement of the studs 24 and will also prevent the bristles 18 from being pushed through the cushioning material 20.

The pliable cushioning material 20 and anchored bristles 18 are firmly secured within the aperture 16 by means of a convex forming piece 28. The convex forming piece 28 is fabricated of the same or similar material as the frame 12 and has a convex curved surface 30. When the forming piece 28 is inserted into the aperture 16, the convex curved surface 30, will contact the cloth backing 26 of the cushioning material 20, to compress the cushioning material 20 against the lip portion 22 of aperture 16 by means of an angular guide 32 and is retained within the aperture 16 by means of an angular holding portion 34 which cooperates with a corresponding recessed portion 36 of the aperture 16 to provide a snap fitting. The FIG. 4 illustrates the assembly of the brush showing the insertion of the convex forming piece 28 into aperture 16 and FIG. 3 shows the convex forming piece 28 in its final position wherein it is securely retained within the elongated aperture 16.

As previously described, the convex curved surface 30 of the forming piece 28 contacts the cloth backing 26 to firmly compress the cushioning material against the lip portion 22. In so doing the cushioning material 20, being pliable, is flexed and will bulge outwardly or exteriorally from the elongated aperture 16. This bulge" or crown will disperse and determine the spacing of the bristles l8 and will additionally provide an air space or gap 38 between the cloth backing 26 and convex curved surface 30. An air hole 40 formed through the cushioning material 20 and cloth backing 26 will assure that suction will not be developed within this air space 38 and will also facilitate the insertion of the forming piece 28 by permitting entrapped air to escape via hole 40 during the assembly operation. The air space 38 will provide an air cushion for the pliable cushioning material 20 so that it can be deflected when a pressure is exerted on the bristles 18. The air space or gap 38 will thereby provide an added degree of flexibility to the bristles 18. The pliable cushioning material 20 will, upon removal of the pressure on said bristles 18, assume its original crown or convex shape.

This wig brush construction not only provides an improved method of fabrication for a wig brush, but also provides the added advantage of permitting means to control the dimensions of the brush and bristles so that it can be made in a nar row and convenient size.

Although this invention was described in relation to the manufacture of a wig brush 10, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same or similar construction can be used in the manufacture of any brush implement. It should also be noted that the above cited embodiment is intended as exemplary and while it has described the invention with a specific implementation thereof other modifications and changes might be made in the embodiment so set forth and will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

It should be further understood that all material herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A brush implement suitable for brushing wig hair comprising a frame member having two opposed ends, means forming a handle portion at one end thereof, means defining an elongated aperture at the opposite end of the frame member, a pliable cushioning material spanning said aperture, means for securing the cushioning material within said aperture, a plurality of bristles extending from said cushioning material, means for anchoring one end of each bristle in said cushioning material wherein the opposite free end of each bristle will project from the cushioning material to engage the wig hair, means underlying said cushioning material for flexing same to form a curved contour extending outwardly from said aperture to define an air space between the cushioning material and the means underlying same; means underlying the cushioning material includes a convex forming piece adapted to be snap fit into the elongated aperture; said means for securing the cushioning material within the aperture includes a peripheral lip surrounding the elongated aperture to hold the cushioning material compressed between the convex forming piece and the lip; said means for anchoring the bristles includes a stud at the end thereof seated in the cushioning material; and a cloth backing adhesively bonded to the cushioning material and overlying the studs on the bristles.

2. A brush implement as claimed in claim I, wherein the convex forming piece is provided with an angular guide and a further angular holding portion.

3. A brush implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elongated aperture in the frame member is provided with a mating recessed portion corresponding to the angular guide and angular holding portion, said recessed portion providing for snap fit interlocking engagement between the convex forming piece and the elongated aperture.

4. A brush implement as claimed in claim 3, wherein an air hole is provided through the cushioning material to permit the entry of air into the space between the cushioning material and the convex forming piece.

5. A brush implement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pliable cushioning material comprises a rubber fabric conforming in shape to the elongated aperture.

6. A brush implement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bristles are metallic and uniformly positioned within the cushioning material and the overall length dimension of the cushioning material is approximately four times the overall width dimension, thus providing a brush implement having a relatively narrow shape and suitable for containment within a purse. 

1. A brush implement suitable for brushing wig hair comprising a frame member having two opposed ends, means forming a handle portion at one end thereof, means defining an elongated aperture at the opposite end of the frame member, a pliable cushioning material spanning said aperture, means for securing the cushioning material within said aperture, a plurality of bristles extending from said cushioning material, means for anchoring one end of each bristle in said cushioning material wherein the opposite free end of each bristle will project from the cushioning material to engage the wig hair, means underlying said cushioning material for flexing same to form a curved contour extending outwardly from said aperture to define an air space between the cushioning material and the means underlying same; means underlying the cushioning material includes a convex forming piece adapted to be snap fit into the elongated aperture; said means for securing the cushioning material within the aperture includes a peripheral lip surrounding the elongated aperture to hold the cushioning material compressed between the convex forming piece and the lip; said means for anchoring the bristles includes a stud at the end thereof seated in the cushioning material; and a cloth backing adhesively bonded to the cushioning material and overlying the studs on the bristles.
 2. A brush implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the convex forming piece is provided with an angular guide and a further angular holding portion.
 3. A brush implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elongated aperture in the frame member is provided with a mating recessed portion corresponding to the angular guide and angular holding portion, said recessed portion providing for snap fit interlocking engagement between the convex forming piece and the elongated aperture.
 4. A brush implement as claimed in claim 3, wherein an air hole is provided through the cushioning material to permit the entry of air into the space between the cushioning material and the convex forming piece.
 5. A brush implement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pliable cushioning material comprises a rubber fabric conforming in shape to the elongated aperture.
 6. A brush implement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bristles are metallic and uniformly positioned within the cushioning material and the overall length dimension of the cushioning material is approximately four times the overall width dimension, thus providing a brush implement having a relatively narrow shape and suitable for containment within a purse. 